Harriett Baldwin MP last week (Friday) met with job seekers while visiting an organisation which helps people get back to work. The West Worcestershire MP discussed the job market with officials from the Sarina Russo Job Access office in Sansome Street, Worcester. The organisation operates in conjunction with Government programmes to help people of all ages to get into work and remain employed. Sarina Russo opened their local office in October 2009 and helps hundreds of people get into the job market. Harriett is a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee and quizzed staff about the challenges of preparing local people for full time work. Harriett commented: “Some people face higher barriers than others to secure long term employment and it is great that organisations such as Sarina Russo are able to work in the community making a difference. “In my role sitting on the Work and Pensions Select Committee we are looking at the new contracts for the government’s new Work Programme. This will pay different levels of fee for seven different levels of job-seeker. “The harder they are to place, the higher the fee will be and the fee will also be paid in stages, with extra payments when people have stayed in work for over two years. “It was interesting to get some feedback from those who work with the unemployed on a day-to-day basis and see some of the challenges they face. In Worcestershire, a particular issue is public transport in rural areas.”